Chapter 3

Events from the life history of Guru Nanak Dev

Let us now apply the second principle to examine this issue, which is the study of events from the life of Guru Nanak Dev.

1. The Guru’s Indifference to Vocational Work In “Puratan Janamsakhi”, Story No.6, it is written - Then Guru Nanak consorted only with fakirs and would have nothing to do with anyone else. The members of his family were all grieved,… Then Kalu received the news of Nanak’s condition. He came to him and said, “O son! I only say this much to you, that it is good to be employed. If the sons of Khatris have the capital, do they not engage in business? It is good to work! Son, our crop stands ripe outside. If you labour on it, the crop will not go waste.

Then everyone will say, ‘Bravo! Kalu’s son has recovered.’ My son, the field is the owner’s responsibility. Then Guru Nanak spoke,

“O father, I have cultivated a different field, and I have kept it productive.
I have ploughed it, I prepared the soil, and I have watched over it day
and night…. Father dear, you will hear about the field which I have
ploughed.”

Baba Nanak then sang a Shabad -

Rag Sorath Mehla 1, Ghar 1
(Page 595, Guru GrandI Sahib)
“Let mind be the farmer, good deeds the farming, the body be
farm, and the effort to irrigate the farm. Let the Lord’s Name
be the seed, Contentment the furrowing, and Humility be the

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